Jouney Of A Hero: First Step
by cobra
Summary: A scooby's journey into becoming a Hero DC comics cross. though i'm not an avid comic reader so mistakes are made NO flames. Enjoy


Okay. I know there are at least Two other GL/BTVS fics out there that have Xander becoming the Green Lantern. I KNOW this. Hell the GL/Buffy cross is getting as bad as the HL/Buffy cross. And I can't seem to stop myself from writing one. I'M SORRY. I had an Idea and I have to go with it. I know it's prolly a bad one and I should really be working on my WIP fics but I can't. I have to type this thing or it will bug me forever. Okay people I will tell you the setting. 1998/99. The scoobs are still in high school. Also this is a DC universe cross. I'm not an all knowing fan of DC. All the time travel crap completely throws me so I'm being simplistic and not using every character of certain comics. You can expect Robin, most likely a cameo by Nightwing. Superboy (I doubt Superman makes an appearance) and of course a few villains.   
  
Title: Journey of a Hero: The first step (first fic in a series)  
  
Author: Cobra  
  
Rating: Pg-13/R  
  
Summary: A Scooby is broken and a hero is born.  
  
Kyle Rayner didn't understand why Hal Jordan's ring led him to this town. He didn't know why he followed the ring in the first place. BUT he did know he had a promise to keep. The young superhero landed on the outskirts of the small town and watched as the ring flew from his hand into the night sky in a high arc. Kyle watched and sighed.  
  
"I hope it knows what it's doing." He stated to the darkness before taking flight once again. With another long sigh he looked back toward the east then at the green trail the ring had left behind it.  
  
"Damn." He said lowly and flew after the ring at speeds almost above the sound barrier. He really wanted to go home.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander Harris flew through the air and slammed into a tree. His entire body hurt and he could have sworn he blacked out for half a second. Then, he was on his feet again and running toward the green demon that his friend Buffy, also known as the slayer, was fighting at the moment. Xander slammed into the demon with his shoulder in a flying tackle.   
  
"Kill IT!!" The young man yelled from the ground where both he and the demon were tangled together in a mass of limbs. Buffy hesitated for only a second before bringing the blade of her sword down and slicing the demon's head from it's shoulders. Xander stood breathing heavily as he watched the demon begin to shudder violently.  
  
"Whew. Thanks Buff." He stated as he took a deep breath.  
  
"That was stupid Xander." Buffy said as she stared at the young man with anger. Xander looked at her for a second before speaking.  
  
"Your welcome Buffy." His answer only helped to enrage the blonde slayer who growled and turned away.  
  
" I don't want you patrolling anymore Xander. Your going to get one of us killed." The slayer stated and walked off into the darkness most likely searching for Angel. Xander bit his lip to stop a smart remark from exiting his mouth. He watched as Buffy's form was enveloped in darkness. Finally he sighed and kicked the demon body on the ground in front of him.  
  
"DAMN IT!" He screamed at the sky loudly hoping that Buffy wouldn't come back to check on him. He wouldn't' be able to stop himself from yelling at her if she did.  
  
"Maybe she's right. Maybe I can't contribute to the fight, maybe I am just a liability." Xander began to walk away but not before speaking in a low voice.  
  
"She's wrong."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kyle watched the strange altercation between the green thing, the young blond girl, and the young boy. He noticed how the ring seemed to hover above the boy just out of site. He watched as the girl left and the boy began to put himself down. Then he smiled as he heard the young man's parting words into the darkness.   
  
"He's defiantly the one." The Green Lantern said to himself before again taking flight.   
  
"And what the hell was that green thing?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"OW!" Xander felt the small object hit his head and reached up to rub the top of his skull. He looked toward the sky looking for where the object had fallen from. Nothing. He looked down when he noticed a green glow and lifted the ring from the ground.  
  
"What the hell?" He asked himself while he looked at the glowing green ring. He couldn't place the element it was made of. It was dense and strong but also light.  
  
"I think I should ask Giles." He said to himself before he began to walk again.  
  
"That's probably not a good idea." A voice said from above him causing Xander to turn quickly and look up.  
  
"What the hell? I'm asking that a lot lately." Xander added the last statement as an afterthought. Kyle laughs slightly.  
  
"Aren't we all?" The green figure floats to the ground and the aura around him disperses.  
  
"You don't want to tell anyone about that ring." Xander looks at the ring then back at the newcomer.  
  
"Look, Buddy. I don't know who, or what you are; but I have no trouble with you." Xander stated as he began to tense ready for an attack.  
  
"I'm not here to hurt you. I mean, look at the costume." Xander does as told and finally the thought clicks.  
  
"Holy shit." He mumbles which makes Kyle smile wider and seem to stand taller.  
  
"Yep. And that," Kyle says as he motions to the ring. "is your power ring. I can only give you the basics for now. The rest you have to learn on your own. At least, I did anyway." Xander could only nod at the Green Lantern's words.  
  
"You've been recruited by the ring. Basically you are the newest, and second, member of the Green Lantern Corps. A group of people and aliens who are given the rings to help police a section of the universe." Kyle Rayner said with a deep voice. One that contradicted his normal voice so much that he almost laughed.  
  
"The ring has an unimaginable power. The only weaknesses are the imagination of the bearer and well.... in your case the color yellow." Kyle mumbled the last part almost out of humiliation then noticed Xander looking at the ring in his hand.  
  
"Put it on." Kyle said/asked. He didn't want to push the kid to far this quickly. Xander looked at the ring and sighed. He closed his eyes as he put the ring on his finger.  
  
"Repeat after me," Kyle started while looking at his own ring, "In brightest day, In blackest night no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evils might. Beware my power, Green Lanterns Light." Xander repeated the words with feeling. After he finished he looked at Kyle with a questioning face.  
  
"I was told it was started by a great man. This way he will always be remembered." Xander nodded at the wise words spoken by the Green Lantern. Kyle himself couldn't believe he had said them. A year ago he would have never thought to say something as honorable as that phrase.  
  
"I have to go. By the way my name is Kyle Rayner. If you need help or just someone to talk to about this," Kyle forms a card with his ring and hands it to Xander, "Go here. Talk to Guy Gardner. Good luck kid." Xander watches as Kyle flies off into the darkness a green streak in the sky behind him.   
  
"Great." Xander said to himself as he looked at the ring.  
  
"Fly me home." He said in a careless tone as if he didn't' expect the ring to work. In seconds he was high above the tree line heading toward his parents house. His scream and a green streak of light were all that was left behind.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander didn't get any sleep that night. He spent the few hours after his and Buffy's patrol flying around the small town of Sunnydale. It wasn't until he flew into his room and look in the mirror that he noticed he had on a suit much like that of Kyle Rayner's.   
  
"I wonder if I could hang with Superman now?" He asked himself with a smile before mentally telling the ring to power down. He looked at himself and decided he needed a shower before going to Sunnyhell High for another day.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander walked into the library with a smile on his face. He noticed Buffy's glare and simply shrugged internally. He wouldn't be here long enough for her to yell at him.  
  
"I have news." Xander said with a big smile on his face and a seemingly careless tone in his voice. The gang looked at him half expectantly and half well. not caring.  
  
"This is the last day you will see the Xan-Man. As of three o'clock this afternoon I am leaving the Hellmouth." The gang looked at him in shock. Within a second the smile fell from Xander's face.  
  
"That's right boys and girls. No more worrying about how to keep me out of the loop. No more trying to hide the patrol day's from me. No more hiding anything." Willow, Oz and Giles looked somewhat sorry for what Xander just said. Buffy didn't. Xander simply shrugged and turned to leave.  
  
"I'll talk to Giles before I leave. Give him the contact info and all that. Not that any of you will use it..." The doors to the library closed behind the young man.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander walked into Giles' office after the last bell of the school day.  
  
"You are really leaving?" Giles asked the young man who stood infront of him. Xander nodded and looked at Giles as he sat a piece of paper on the desk.  
  
"Yeah. Giles I have a favor I need you to do for me." Giles looked at Xander with a small sad smile.  
  
"Anything I can Xander." Xander smiled wide at his mentor's words.  
  
"Tell me what the gang is doing. If they need any help at all tell me. Please?" Xander asked/begged causing Giles to answer before even thinking.  
  
"Of course. Weather they know it or not they need you Xander. We all need you." Xander looked down at Giles' words and finally looked up with a sad smile.  
  
"I'll be seeing you G-M.. Giles. Thanks for everything." Before Giles could say anything Xander turned and left the room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander walked around Sunnydale till the sun sat and darkness took over light. He was about to leave the town forever when he heard the scream of a young woman. Without a thought Xander turned and began to run. Then... he thought.  
  
"Suit up." He muttered to himself and without delay took to the air in search of the woman who screamed. He saw the vampires before he saw the would be victim. With a smile he landed between the victim and the snarling vamps.  
  
"You know you shouldn't chase women. With all the sexual harassment laws you could be arrested." The vampires looked at the green newcomer in what could only be described as shock. Then, anger.  
  
"Oh yeah? Wait till we're done with her. Your next." The lead vamp said and snarled at Xander who rolled his eyes under his green mask.  
  
"I don't swing that way buddy. Sorry." Before the vamp could charge, or think of it Xander sent a command to his ring and a branch was broken off a tree and used to dust three of the four vamps.  
  
"Cool." Xander said to himself with a small smile. The fourth vamp turned to run only to have a giant green fist catch him and throw him into a tree turning the vampire to dust on impact. Xander turned and looked for the girl. She was nowhere to be seen. With a sigh Xander flew into the air. After flying high into the sky he turned around and looked down on the town.  
  
"Goodbye Sunnydale. Goodbye everyone." With the last word Xander turned and his green aura pulsed as he flew away from Sunnydale and on to the east coast.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander landed in the alley close to the place Kyle had told him to go. With a sad smile he willed his ring to power down and the suit from his body. He walked out of the alley slowly and looked across the street.  
  
Warriors.  
  
"A bar, a gym, and a nightclub all in one." Xander said to himself semi-amused with the idea. With a shake of his head he walked across the street and into the bar/gym/nightclub.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Guy Gardner was worried. Though he would NEVER admit it to anyone he was worried about Kyle's decision on what to do with Hal Jordan's ring. Starting the Green Lantern Corps again could be a good idea. As long as the people that the GL's were protecting didn't hold onto the strict ideal's the Guardians had. It was the strict and almost uncompassionate view of the Guardians that caused much of the chaos over the power rings and the still remembered in fear Parallax. Though Hal had redeemed or at least begun to redeem his evil deeds done as Parallax he was not yet trusted by many of the worlds superheroes. Least of all Guy himself. Guy was brought from his musings when the door to his bar opened. He watched as a kid no older than eighteen walked into the bar and looked around.  
  
"I'm looking for Guy Gardner." Xander said to the muscular man behind the bar. He noticed how the man was on constant alert. Guy noticed the ring on the young man's finger and let out an almost silent curse.  
  
"Your lookin at him kid. What's your name?" Xander walked up to the bar and shook Guy's hand before speaking.  
  
"Xander Harris." Guy nodded and looked at the ring again with a grimace.  
  
"You have no idea what you've been forced into kid. I can tell you from experience the bad times outnumber the good." Guy seemed to think for a second before he spoke again.  
  
"But it felt good to crack some skulls." The smile on the Warriors face made Xander a little nervous. Finally Xander laughed and sat down at the bar.  
  
"I don't have a fuckin clue about what I'm doing." Xander said after a second of silence. Guy shrugged his shoulders and leaned on the bar.  
  
"I still don't kid. None of us do. Hell even Supes has days where he doesn't know if what he's doing is what he should be." Xander didn't feel right. He knew he wasn't in the league of any known superheroes in the universe. Hell he was a rookie, and amateur. He'd beaten four vamps. Not a supervillian like Sinestro.   
  
"All of us think that we're not good enough kid. Hell even I think that. If you don't think that chances are your going to die, and take a lot of innocent people with you." Guy continued with conviction. The kid needed a speech, needed to have some confidence. Just not to much. Xander only nodded at the man's words.  
  
"Where ya stayin kid?" Guy asked. Xander pulled a key from his pocket.  
  
"Kyle left me his apartment key before he left. Found it on my dresser." Guy nodded thinking of what Xander was going to find. He tried to hide the smile. Xander didn't notice.  
  
"I guess I could close up and take you there. It's only a few miles from here." Xander nodded his thanks and waited as Guy locked up the bar/gym/nightclub.  
  
"Your going to do fine kid." Was the Warriors words as they began to walk toward Kyle's apartment.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander stood stunned as he looked at the woman in 'his' apartment.  
  
"Who are you?" The two asked at the same time. Xander heard laughing behind him and turned to see Guy covering a smile.  
  
"Jade meet Xander. He got Hal's ring." Jade looked at Xander in disbelief.  
  
"You have to be kidding me. He's what seventeen?" She asked Guy to which he shrugged.  
  
"Okay if your going to talk about me like I'm not here I might as well not be." Xander turned and walked from the room quickly leaving Guy to talk to Jade and maybe fill her in on his situation. Meanwhile he wanted to do something, go somewhere.  
  
"Never been to Hawaii." He said to himself as he suited up and flew into the sky with the green aura around his body.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Kon-El sat on the beach looking toward the stars in the sky. He had been doing this a lot in the past months. He knew what was out there, he'd been to space more than once and to him it had no mystery. That was the problem. He was young, an adventurer, a hero. He wanted a challenge. Something to further prove himself. The young super hero smiled when he saw the green light streak through the sky. Sure he and Kyle weren't best friends but he wanted to talk to someone. With a laugh the young Superboy took to the air after his fellow hero.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander stopped in mid air as he noticed the young man trying to catch him. As the young man came closer Xander recognized him but his face didn't show shock or surprise.  
  
"Your not Kyle?" Superboy asked more than stated. Xander chuckled and nodded his head.  
  
"Your right. I'm not." Xander stuck out his right hand and shook with Superboy.  
  
"I'm his temporary replacement." Xander didn't mention his real name. Not yet anyway.  
  
"So your SB huh? Little shorter than I thought you'd be." Xander floated in front of Superboy with a smile and Superboy smiled at him.  
  
"Careful rookie. I may be small but I pack a punch." Kon-El felt like a conversation. Something more than what he had with Dubbilex.   
  
"You know some of the history behind that ring?" The young clone of Paul Westfield asked. Xander shook his head no making the young man of steel smile a little wider.  
  
"Let's find a place to sit."  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Superboy cleared his throat dramatically before beginning to speak. He also made sure Xander was paying attention.  
  
"the name Hal Jordan was a name to be respected even by the most heroic super heroes and the most terrifying villains. His loyalty and compassion for man made him the greatest champion the guardians ever had." Superboy quoted word for word what Superman had told him after Parallax's death.  
  
"Jordan was THE Green Lantern. He shadowed all those before him and will continue to shadow the deeds of the future GL's. But, things don't always go the right way. People change and things happen to drive people to the brink. After the Cyborg Hank Henshaw destroyed coast city to create his own little town Hal Jordan went nuts. He tried to bring back all of the people and the city. And for a day he succeeded. But, when the ring ran out of power the people and the town faded away. Hal did the only thing he could think of. He asked the guardians to help him bring everyone that died in that city back to life. They said no...." Xander was fully focused on the story being told. He could see where Hal would be angry with the Guardians. He could also see why the Guardians couldn't help the man.  
  
"Jordan went nuts. He killed the other Green Lanterns and stole there power. The last remaining Guardian. Gantlet or something like that. I'm not to clear on the details. Took the last remaining power ring and gave it to the first person he saw. Kyle Rayner." Xander smiled at that. Kyle was just the lucky, or unlucky, bastard on the street at the time.   
  
"Jordan began to call himself Parallax. After many. many. and even more battles with all of us he found a way to redeem himself. On earths last night he used all of his energy to reignite the sun." Xander looked down at the ring he wore and thought of the man who had worn it before him. He couldn't let himself turn into a monster. He wouldn't.  
  
"Thanks SB. I think I have an idea of what I'm supposed to do now. Even if I have no clue of how to do it." Kon-El smiled and chuckled at Xander's comment. There humor seemed to be along the same lines.   
  
"Well. I should get back to New York. Have to find a job." SB laughed at that making Xander frown and fly into the sky.  
  
"Later GL!" Superboy yelled and flew away in the opposite directions. He had his conversation out of the way and just maybe he made another friend close to his age.   
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander walked into Kyle's apartment slowly not noticing Jade watching him from recliner across the room.  
  
"Bout' time you came back kid." Xander jumped quickly and fell into a tight stance. Jade noticed and put the thought in the back of her mind for further analysis later.  
  
"Hey Jade. Thought you'd be asleep by now." Xander said as he moved to sit across from her on a couch. Jade half smiled at him before she started talking.  
  
"Guy and I had a long chat. We were wondering what your plans for school were." Xander sighed and fell back into the couch.  
  
"No plans." Jade looked at him with raised eyebrows.  
  
"That's to bad Xander. I guess it's a good thing Guy and I made plans. Your going to Adam's High School. After school you and I will go to Warriors and train with Guy for a few hours. Then you can do what you want and patrol." Xander nodded to the young woman and felt like he was ten again.  
  
"Yes mommy." Xander said in a high pitched voice. Jade smiled slightly but quickly set her face in stone. Xander sighed and answered her normally.  
  
"Okay. When do I start?" Jade seemed in thought for a second. It was Tuesday. She would need to make calls and transfer papers..  
  
"Next Monday. What about your parents? Will they give me any trouble?" The only answer she received was a snort as Xander stood and walked to the bathroom to shower. Jade watched him close the door and sighed.  
  
"Guess not." The young woman said and picked up the telephone.  
  
"Yeah Guy, he agreed. I'll bring him by tomorrow so you can beat the crap out of him." Jade felt she could actually see Guy's smile.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander slide across the matted floor of the Warriors gym. He jumped to his feet as he came to a stop and again ran at Guy Gardner quickly lashing out with a right hook that missed and right kick that didn't. He watched in satisfaction as Guy went down. Then he yelled in anger as he followed suit. Guy was on his feet in an instant and Xander was up a micro second later. Both threw a punch and both connected with different results. Xander went down. Guy went back about three steps.  
  
"Hell of a punch you got there kid." Guy said as he rubbed his reddening eye. Xander got up holding his jaw and nodded.  
  
"You to." Then the fight was on again. Guy came in fast with a left jab that Xander deflected with his right forearm. As Guy went to throw a right cross Xander spun letting Guy's fist just clip his chin. As Xander completed the spin he landed a spinning sidekick to Guy's stomach causing the Warrior to double over slightly leaving Xander with an opening. Xander quickly brought his right knee toward Guy's face only to hit air as Guy moved his head right. Before Xander knew what happened he was again on his back due to a sweep kick by the Vuldarian warrior.  
  
"Not bad kid." Guy said as he helped Xander to his feet.  
  
"You can actually fight. Never woulda thought it." Before Xander could say anything Guy turned and walked away. Jade walked up behind Xander with a smile.  
  
"You got his respect kid. That's hard to do." Xander turned to her and smiled.  
  
"Next time I won't take it easy on him. Can I go tape my ribs now?" Jade laughed at Xander's joke and motioned him to the door.  
  
"Let's go boy blunder.... Lets go." Xanders' smile widened as he walked out the door.  
  
"Same time tomorrow kid!!" Was the last thing Guy said as the door closed. Then, Guy smiled.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I hear by call this meeting of Young Justice to order." Tim Drake aka: Robin said from the podium. Kon-El sat in the back with a smirk along with the other members of young justice. Impulse, Empress, Cassie, secret, Cissie and Lobo.  
  
"Are there any new things to discuss?" Robin asked the group to which everyone grunted in the negative. Everyone except Kon anyway.  
  
"Um. Yeah. I'd like to um, propose a new member." Kon said slowly thinking of his words as he said them. He was trying to act more mature. Everyone looked at him in slight shock.  
  
"What?! Okay look I talked to Kyle's temp and he seems like a nice guy. Figured 'Why Not?'" The group all looked at one another before finally Cassie spoke up.  
  
"I don't know Kon.... We'd need to meet him first." Kon rolled his eyes and sighed.  
  
"Whatever, the only reasoned I mentioned it is because he's a newbie. I remember trying to do this in the beginning. With a little help I could have done a lot more." The Young Justice gang nodded as Superboy's reasoning and finally Robin spoke.  
  
"Set it up Kon. I think we'd all like to meet the new Green Lantern." Kon smiled slightly and nodded.  
  
"Yeah. He and I are a lot alike." Kon said and received several good natured groans. His smile widened.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander sat at the bar of Warriors with a frown on his face. He hated school. It was only his first day and he already wished he could be home schooled. He even mentioned the idea to Jade and Guy, both said they would think about it.  
  
"Yo Xand!" Guy yelled from the entrance of the bar, "You got company kid." Xander turned and saw Kon walking toward him with a smile. Xander raised an eyebrow and looked at him.  
  
"How'd you find me?" Kon smiles a cryptic smile and shrugs.  
  
"Tricks of the trade GL." Xander sighed and laughed as Kon-El clone of Superman (sorta) sat down beside him and leaned on the bar.  
  
"I'm actually here to offer you something." Xander looked at Kon curiously for a minute before nodded.  
  
"What?" Kon smiled and stood.  
  
"Suit up GL. We're going on a little trip."  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander landed beside Kon at the mouth of the Justice Cave. Kon smiles and motions for Xander to follow him as the two enter the cave and walk down the tunnel.  
  
"Why am I here?" Before Kon can answer another voice does.  
  
"Because we wanted to meet you." Robin said as he melted from the shadows and walked toward Kon and Xander. Xander looked shocked for a second before turning stoic and looking around the room. He noticed the other figures right away and gave a nod in there directions.  
  
"Looks like a fraggin sissy if ya ask me." Lil' Lobo said as he looked at Xander. Xander looked at him for a moment before turning his attention back to Robin.  
  
"We wanted to meet you. Do you know who we are?" Xander chuckled at the question and nodded.  
  
"Yeah. Your Young Justice." The group seemed very happy that they were recognized and Robin motioned him to sit with the group. Xander moved in rhythm with Kon's feet and sat at the table with the members of Young Justice. Xander wasn't sure of what to expect but he was a little nervous. Though he hid it well.  
  
"So... What's the what?" The young GL asked the table of young superheroes. Superboy smiled and Robin looked at him. The rest of the table simply sat silently.  
  
"Superboy told us about you. We wanted to meet you and make you an offer." Robin said as he looked at Xander carefully. Xander nodded still not sure what to expect. Kon rolled his eyes.  
  
"Can we skip this crap? Look GL we want you to join. You in?" Robin glared at Kon and Xander chuckled but nodded.  
  
"Why not? I could use the pointers." Kon smiled and then looked at Robin who was frowning.  
  
"There is one catch.." Robin said making Xander groan.  
  
"We have to have a Parent-Teacher kind of thing." Robin continued while still glaring at Kon.  
  
"Do you have anyone who can do that?" Robin finally asked. Xander seemed down for a second. His parents wouldn't work. He didn't even want them to know. But there was someone.  
  
"Yeah. I got someone." Xander answered. Kon smiled as did the two girls at the table. Xander sat back and sighed. Robin stood and pulled a communicator from his pocket.  
  
"So we get reach you." Xander nodded and took the small communicator.  
  
"I guess I need to go. I'll be back soon guys. And thanks." The team smiled. Well all but Slobo anyway.   
  
"Not a prob GL." Kon said for the group as the green aura fitted itself around Xander's suit. With a smile and a wave Xander flew from the Justice Cave toward home.  
  
"I like him." Cissie said to everyone. Cassie nodded her head and Kon did as well.  
  
"Well he's in for now." Robin said giving his opinion. Well sorta.  
  
"I still say he's a fraggin' sissy."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~`  
  
Giles sighed as he walked out of Sunnydale High School. He wanted to go home and have a nice cup of tea before going to bed. He didn't noticed the shadow that walked behind him. After years fighting the evil in the world one acquires as kind of sixth sense. Giles spun quickly only to see the smiling face of Xander Harris.  
  
"Hey G-Man. Sup?" Giles stood in mind numbing shock for a second before he began to speak.  
  
"Xander? Who...How? Why are you here?" Xander smiled at the watcher/librarian before walking up to him and hugging him quickly.  
  
"Missed ya Giles. Anyway I'm here for a reason. One that would be better talked about somewhere... Well less open." Giles finally seemed to notice that they were standing in the school parking lot and nodded quickly.  
  
"Yes of course. The library?" Giles half asked half ordered. Xander chuckled and nodded following the man inside. Giles didn't think to see if young man was a vampire. Xander didn't like that. With a sigh Xander pulled the cross he wore around his neck into view. He didn't want Giles to figure out that he forgot to test him in the middle of there conversation. As they entered the library Giles walked into his office and motioned Xander to follow him. The two sat down opposite each other and Giles spoke first.  
  
"It is good to see you Xander." The British man said with a smile as he cleaned his glasses. Xander smiled and chuckled.  
  
"You to Giles." Giles put his glasses on and cleared his throat.  
  
"What did you need to speak to me about?" Giles asked all business again making Xander think about everything he must have missed.  
  
"Well Giles. Um. I joined this group. and I need a um.... mentor to talk to them once and awhile so I can join. Your the only person I could think of..." Xander said the last part looking at his feet as they moved along the floor. Giles couldn't help but smile a small smile. He also couldn't help but be surprised.   
  
"Of course I will Xander. When....." A beep suddenly cut off Giles's question. Xander looked shocked for a second then reached into his pocket and opened his communicator. Before opening it he powered up his ring his costume appearing seemingly out of thin air. Giles stared in shock as Xander spoke to Robin.  
  
"We're under attack! We need you at the justice cave now!" Xander didn't answer he simply closed the communicator and ran out of the library leaving a shocked Giles sitting in his chair.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Wondergirl fell to the ground as the sword came toward her throat. At the last second the sword hit something hard and came to a stop. Harm looked confused for a second before his eyes fell on the smirking form of Superboy.  
  
"Ah. If it isn't Superman Lite." Superboy was worried about Cassie for the moment so he didn't have a great comeback.   
  
"I'm going to stop you." The Teen of Steel said as he moved back to punch the villain who wouldn't stay dead. Harm laughed and moved back swinging his sword as he did. SB slid to his right away from the sword then moved forward catching Harm in the jaw with a left cross. Harm stumbled back and laughed as he caught Superboy off guard with a knockout gas grenade. The young Super teen fought the effects of the gas for a short time before he fell from the air in a heap beside the already beaten Robin.  
  
"That was almost to easy." Harm said with a laugh as he moved toward the Justice Computer.  
  
"It's not over yet." Harm turned quickly at the voice to see Green Lantern floating in the center of the cave. Harm smiled at the green figure for a moment before he saw his eyes. There was no play to them. They were the eyes of something as dangerous if not more dangerous than any person on the planet. The eyes of a warrior.  
  
"It will be soon." Harm answered as he raised his sword. Xander glared at the young villain before forming a long rapier with his ring. Harm smiled again and charged. Xander parried the villains thrust and answered with a swipe of his green sword. He didn't think he could beat the young man in the sword fight but he noticed Superboy stirring from his gas induced sleep. All Xander had to do was hold Harm for a few minutes.   
  
"You know for a Super Villain you sure need fashion help." Xander said as he blocked yet another of Harm's thrust. Harm looked at his outfit for a second before attacking harder than before. Xander grunted as he was forced to switch to defense. 'Come on SB.' Xander thought to himself as he jumped and flipped over Harm landing behind the villain and turning just in time to block a sword swing. As he and Harm pressed toward one another Superboy stood and quietly flew up behind Secrets brother. With a hard right cross he knocked Harm out cold.  
  
"That wasn't so tough." Xander said as he and Kon laughed. Then began to check on the other members of Young Justice.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Rupert Giles stood in the center of the Justice Cave speaking with the Red Tornado.  
  
"Alexander is a great help Mr. Giles. He saved the team on his first fight." Giles smiled slightly with pride at the Red Tornado's words. Nightwing walked up to them and looked at them both.  
  
"I'm all for letting the kid in. After all they'll eventually be Titans." Nightwing smiled at this as Dubbilex floated to them. Max Mercury simply shrugged.  
  
"I also cast my vote for the young man to be admitted to the team." All five men turned toward the two women in the room. They were fighting again.  
  
"Should we stop this?" Giles asked the men who looked at the fight. Nightwing shrugged.  
  
"I've tried. Doesn't work." Giles cleared his throat and nodded.  
  
"Quite right. Let them kill each other." The men shrugged.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Xander sat on a log by the fire. Kon on his right and Cissie on his left. Cassie sat on Kons right with Robin sitting beside her. Slobo of course sat off to the side by himself. Bart was standing telling a weird and false story about some girl. It was actually pretty funny. His hands moving so fast they seemed to not move. His mouth moving so fast it seemed like a word was spoken every five times it was opened. Xander was having the time of his life.  
  
"So there I am there I am looking at the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." Bart stopped talking and everyone looked at him curiously. Xander finally bit the bullet with a groan.  
  
"Okay Bart. What happened?" Bart looked at him then at everyone else.  
  
"That was it man. that was it. Thenmeand Wally wenthome and atepizza." Xander was almost able to decipher the entire sentence. It almost resembled Willow-babble. Xander nodded.   
  
"Great story Bart." Robin said as Bart moved to sit down.   
  
"Whose next?" Cassie asked. Kon and Robin looked at Xander who shrugged and stood.  
  
"I guess I am." Everyone nodded as Xander paced for a second and finally half smiled.  
  
"It was the first day of my Sophomore year of high school. There I was skateboarding down the sidewalk when she walked into view. She was gorgeous. I mean totally hot." Kon was smiling now. This was his kinda story.  
  
"Get to the X-factor GL." Kon said and received a slap from both Cassie and Cissie.  
  
"She looked like an angel to me. Blonde hair, beautiful eyes, killer body." The guys chuckled and the girls rolled there eyes. Slobo seemed to be getting into things.  
  
"So. I hit a rail and flipped off my skateboard landing on my back in the middle of the school quad." The entire group burst out laughing as Xander does as well.  
  
"And it gets better. My introduction word for word. "Can I have you? Duh. Can I help you?"." Again the group burst out laughing. Robin the always in control leader fell off his log and rolled on the ground.  
  
"That was fraggin hilarious." Slobo said while laughing then he quickly looked serious.  
  
"Did it work?" Xander fell to the ground laughing and shook his head.  
  
"Nah man didn't work. She liked older more mysterious guys." Robin seemed to perk up at this comment.  
  
"Number?" Xander looked at him for a second with pity.  
  
"They also have to be taller than her little man." Again the group shared a laugh. Things were really going good.  
  
"Anymore funny stories man?" Kon asked still chuckling Xander quickly looked at Cassie and Cissie. The only two present who weren't laughing. Finally Cassie asked the question on her and Cissie's minds.  
  
"Did you ever get the girl?" Xander sobered up quickly and looked at the group before shaking his head.  
  
"Don't you ever watch movies? The geek never gets the girl."  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Buffy, Willow, and Oz sat at the center table of the library watching Giles carefully.   
  
"What's up Giles?" Buffy asked with a serious tone.  
  
"Yeah... Your never this happy in the mornings." Willow put in at the large smile on the Englishman's face. Oz just nodded along with Willows announcement seemingly not caring. Giles smiled a little.  
  
"I heard from Xander over the weekend. He is doing fine and asked me to tell you all hello." Willow perked up at this comment and even Oz grinned slightly. Buffy was just impassive.  
  
"He called you?!" Willow screamed her face as red as her hair.  
  
"Your not me! Why didn't he call me?" Her anger drained as quickly as it had been built up she sat down with tears in her eyes and looked at Oz.  
  
"Why didn't he call me?" She asked her eyes filled with tears. Giles was kicking himself for mentioning the boy and Buffy was sitting stoic. Finally Willow looked at Giles.  
  
"Would you give me his number? I should have asked before now but..... I." She didn't finish her statement and Giles didn't need her to.  
  
"Of course. Let me retrieve it from my desk." Willow nodded and leaned into Oz as Buffy stood and began to walk from the library.  
  
"I'll see you guys tomorrow. I'm going patrolling." Willow looked at Buffy's back in shocked curiosity. She looked at Oz who merly tilted his head and shrugged.   
  
"Here we are Willow. Now you must take the time change into account." Willow nodded as her eyes dried.  
  
"I'll call him tomorrow."  
  
~~~~~  
  
Xander sat on the sand of a beach beside Superboy watching the local young women run along the beach in bikini's.  
  
"This is the life." The teen of steel said as he laid back in his chair. Xander nodded in agreement as he lowered his sunglasses to check out a blond running toward the water.  
  
"Yeah. I hope none of the paparazzi are around. I have no clue how I would explain at school that I'm friends with Superboy. Although the date factor would be a great bonus." Xander added the last statement as an afterthought. SB just nodded his head.   
  
"Shit." Xander mumbled as the beeper Guy made him carry went off. He looked at it before sighing and standing up.  
  
"What's with the beeper GL?" Xander sighed as he put the beeper in his short's pocket.  
  
"Guy wants a way to keep up with me. I think it's just his way of saying I'm too young to do this on my own." Xander began to walk to a deserted part of the beach and SB followed.  
  
"That's gotta suck." The young Superman said as the two friends looked around to make sure no prying eyes were in the area. Xander shook his head.  
  
"Nah. We're just alike SB. I didn't have parents and neither did you. It feels kinda cool to have someone worry about you." Superboy looked at the ground and nodded in agreement.  
  
"You tell anyone I feel that way and I'll pound ya." Xander laughed at Superboys idle threat and nodded.  
  
"Same from me. Later Kid." Xander powered up his ring and suited up. Then flew into the sky making sand cover the teen of steel.  
  
"I'll get you for that!" Superboy yelled as he shook the sand out of his hair.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Xander slid to a stop in the alley beside Warriors. He quickly powered his ring down and walked into the club/gym/bar owned by former Green Lantern Guy Gardner. He knew something was wrong. Had to be wrong. He saw Guy at the bar looking like he was going to explode.  
  
"Where ya been kid?!" Guy asked semi-nervously as he moved toward Xander. Xander didn't try to give an excuse as he noticed the bar was empty.  
  
"What's up?" Guy frowned at Xanders question then sighed.  
  
"We're going outta town kid. Way out." Xander looked at the Warrior in confusion.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Guy just snorted.  
  
"Suit up kid. It's time for me to give you a crash course in Space Travel." Xanders' eyes flew open and his jaw moved with no sound emitting from it. Finally he sighed and powered up. The suit flowing around his body fitting him like a glove. The mixture of green and white seemed to fit perfectly.  
  
"Now what?" Xander asked not sure if he wanted to know.  
  
"Put me in a bubble kid. We're going to the new Oa."  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Xander and Guy landed in front of a large white 'building' and walked toward the entrance.  
  
"What's this about Guy?" Xander asked as he looked around. His hellmouthy feelings coming to a climax as he looked at the barren land around them.  
  
"Kyle didn't say. Just that he needed some back-up." Xander didn't like it. Neither did Guy, something was rubbing the wrong way.  
  
"I thought Kyle came here to restart the corps? Where are the other lanterns?" Xander asked the question rhetorically not expecting an answer. He got one from Kyle who stood in front of the bloody and almost completely beaten.  
  
"My guess. Trying to rule the universe." Xander ran toward him with Guy not two steps behind.  
  
"What happened kid?" Guy asked as the moved Kyle to a chair along the hallway. Kyle sighed and leaned his head back. It was then that Xander noticed he didn't have his power ring. Xander didn't say anything about it.  
  
"I made the wrong choices. Two of the three new Lanterns freaked out and tried to use the power to rule." Guy sighed in despair and leaned against the wall.  
  
"You mean we have three bad guys out there with power rings?" Xander asked his voice calm but betrayed by the look of urgency on his face.  
  
"We gotta stop 'em." Guy said as he paced the width of the large hallway.  
  
"We don't even know where there going Guy." Kyle said the hopeless tone in his voice still present.   
  
"There going to earth." Xander said as he looked out the entrance of the large structure. Kyle looked at him for a second.  
  
"Why?"   
  
"It's the practical thing to do. Every person and thing that can stop them is on Earth. Before they can rule they have to take out the opposition." Xander said still looking into the sky of new Oa.   
  
"The kids right Kyle. We have to get back home." Kyle nodded a little shocked that Xander had worked the question out so quickly. Standing a little unsteady he took command.  
  
"Xander, take us home." Xander turned, nodded, and powered up his ring.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Young Justice looked at the monitors in shock.   
  
"How?" Cassie asked as she watched one of the three evil Green Lanterns destroy an apartment building near Metropolis. No one answered her question as they looked at the destruction.  
  
"With most of the Justice League off world we will have to step in." Red Tornado said as he to watched the carnage. Robin watched the battle rage.  
  
"I'll contact Nightwing. We can get the Teen Titans on one. We'll take the other." Superboy looked at the third monitor.  
  
"I'll take big and blue." He said as he looked at a large blue alien destroy a monument near New York. The group looked at him for a second.  
  
"Kon. We have to stick together on this." Robin said with his leadership tone. SB looked at him for a second before saying something no one ever thought would come from his lips.  
  
"We can't. I can hold off ugly until you guys get done with pinky there. If we do this my way we can keep the destruction down. A little." The Young Justice gang looked at the young clone with a new found respect. If only for an instant.  
  
"We better hurry guys." Robin said. Kon took one last look at the monitors before lifting into the air.  
  
"Careful Kon." Cassie said with a tone the gave no room for argument. Kon only nodded.  
  
"You got it." Then he was gone.  
  
"Everyone to the SuperCycle. We have a job to do."  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Dick Grayson AKA Nightwing looked over his team as they prepared to leave Titan Tower. Donna Troy, Garth, Cyborg, and Starfire were the only team members present at the alarm call. The others were either off world or otherwise occupied.  
  
"We get the one by Metropolis folks. Without Supes there it's our territory." The group nodded almost as one. Nightwing was fully into his team. He new what had to happen and he knew that he was the one who had to show them how. He was the leader.  
  
"It's time."  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Superboy flew toward New York as fast as his TTK would carry him. He had to stop the maniac with the power ring. At least that's what he called the villain in his mind. He was almost there. Almost.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
The green beam cut the top of the skyscraper from the building sending it to the ground below.  
  
"Where are they?", the Blue skinned alien asked as he pushed a large semi-trailer into a group of cars. "Where are these so called 'Heroes' of Earth?"  
  
"Right here Jack!" The voice caught the alien unaware, and the blow to his back sent him careening into the water below them. Superboy floated above the earth a look of calm chaos on his face. He scanned the water knowing that the fight couldn't be that easy. He was proven correct as a burst of water flew from the bay and splashed him. He didn't have time to wipe his eyes as he ducked out of the way of a green fist. As he moved from side to side dodging the first that flew at him faster than almost anything he had fought before he began to think. He couldn't just fight with passion and fire and expect to fly away from this. He needed a plan.. His musings were cut short as the blue aliens right fist hit his stomach causing the teen of steel to gasp and leave the opening the alien was waiting for. With a hard overhand right to his jaw Superboy flew back and into a skyscraper going halfway through the building before bringing himself to a stop and flying back at the rogue green lantern.   
  
"That is all this world has to offer?" The alien asked only to get an answer in the form of a roar.  
  
"I'm not done yet!!"  
  
~~~~~  
  
Young Justice was in a corner. Cassie and Empress were out on the ground leaving Robin, Lil'lobo, Secret, and Impulse to deal with the pink skinned female alien above them.  
  
"Impulse!," Robin cried in urgency gaining the young speedsters attention. "Keep her occupied while I think of a plan." Bart nodded quickly before running toward the Rogue female Green Lantern ziging and zaging his way around her burst of green energy.  
  
"Slobo!", Robin yelled getting the insane Czariean's attention "We have to break her concentration." Slobo nodded his head and ran as fast as his alien legs could carry him. He followed Impulses path almost perfectly. It would later dawn on Robin that Slobo had done what he said with no backtalk. It was truly a miracle. Robin steeled himself and ran jumping off an overturned Semi and flying toward the back of the pink alien. His staff out as he brought it down towards the aliens skull only to receive a kick in the ribs sending the young boy wonder flying through the air backwards hitting a building and sliding down painfully. He shook his head as if to clear his vision then rethought his strategy. He hoped Kon and the Titans were having better luck.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Nightwing was sore. His entire body hurt as he knelt on the roof of a car and took deep breaths. They had tried everything. Starfire with her solar powered blast, Cyborg with his various weapons and what Wally used to call the ear splitter. Nothing was working. He coughed a few times to clear his throat and yelled out to his team.   
  
"Two on each side. Let's take this thing down!" As he flipped off the car he heard them voice there approval of the plan. He had to smile to himself as he ran toward the fight. Troia was in the midst of the fight with Starfire on the way. Kid Flash was zooming around them trying to find a hole in the aliens green shield. Cyborg and Nightwing ran toward the fight with vigor. They had to win. They had to win. With a roar he threw one of his escrima sticks at the green warrior. He was amazed when the stick connected, not with the shield but with the alien. Though it didn't do enough damage to stop the onslaught of pain that Dick felt when he was once again thrown from the battle.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Xander flew as fast as the ring and his imagination could carry him. Both Guy and Kyle trailed behind in a giant green bubble. They had just entered earths atmosphere and were on there way toward New York when Xander caught sight of one of the Rogue Green Lanterns fighting the Titans.  
  
"That's the one with my ring. Let me off here." Xander stopped for a second and let the older Green Lantern out. Nightwing came from nowhere to stand beside Kyle.  
  
"Young Justice are fighting the pink alien off the coast of Gotham. Superboy's alone in New York facing the other one. Go help them." Xander nodded and flew away from the fight. First he was going to drop Guy off with Young Justice. Then, he was going to help his friend.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
What Wonder Girl saw as she awoke was hope. Hope in the form a giant Vuldarian Warrior falling from a green figure in the sky landing on the back of the female alien with the power ring. Both figures fell to the ground creating a giant crater. And for the first time since the fight started Cassie thought they had a chance. As she watched Xander streak toward New York she offered a silent prayer to Zeus that both He and Superboy be strong and remain alive.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Superboy was beaten. What was worse was that the teen of steel knew it. He stood defiantly but he was to badly beaten to fight a good fight. His jacket shredded and his suit almost in tatters he was done for. All he could hope for now was either the team or a quick death. He was praying for the first option.   
  
"This was a let down." The blue alien stated with a snobbish smirk that SB wanted to knock off its face. Finally Superboy stood straight and glared into the eyes of the villain.  
  
"We're not done yet." The blue alien looked at him for a second in curiosity.  
  
"We're?" The alien seemed to ask himself. Then he saw the smirk on Superboys face and turned.  
  
"Hi." Xander said as his green fist slammed into the aliens face knocking the alien toward the young super teen who hit the alien with a right. Xander moved in quickly his ring leading the way as the two green figures slammed into each other with the force of two locomotives. Xander was fueled with a certain heroic nature. One the ring on his finger had found not only admirable but worthy. He would prove the ring right. He would help make the Green Lantern Corps what they once were. Honorable.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Giles sat at the table in the library watching a TV he had brought from the schools tech supply room. He barely noticed Willow and Buffy sitting watching the fight between Superboy and the alien. Giles sat wondering if Xander was okay. He knew that something serious had to be keeping the young man from the fight. He opened his eyes wide in surprise as he saw the green glowing figure of Xander Harris appear behind the alien. Then punch the blue skinned creature in the face.  
  
"Take that you bloody bastard!!" Giles screamed out loud then composed himself and looked at the two girls.  
  
"Um. Should you two be in class?"  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Kyle Rayner couldn't help but feel useless. He had no power and he was a normal man with no tools. But he wasn't going to sit this one out for anything. He needed his ring back. Then he could help either Xander (who would most likely need it) or Young Justice.  
  
"Nightwing!", Kyle yelled as he ran toward the black clad hero. "We need to attack from all sides. If it attacks one of us the other three of us attack it. We have to break her concentration on the ring." Nightwing nodded at his plan before calling in Cyborg and Starfire to lead the front and rear attacks. He and Troia would take the sides.  
  
"Get ready to get your ring back!" Nightwing yelled as he ran toward the fight for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. Kyle Rayner looked around helplessly for a moment before grabbing a steel pipe that fell off a broken fire escape. With a growl he ran toward the fight. He wasn't going to sit this one out.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Guy Gardner was having the time of his life. He was back in the action he enjoyed so much in his younger days. And he was whippin' ass.   
  
"Is that all you got she bitch?!" Guy yelled as he slammed his Mace formed hand into the shield of the female Rouge Lantern. Her face was beaten as the shield seemed to wear thin. Robin jumped from a balcony above them and kicked the RL in the back causing her to fall into Warriors arms. Warrior smiled and began to spin finally letting go and throwing the villainies into a building he watched as she didn't move for an instant.  
  
"Impulse!" Robin yelled as he ran toward the prone figure of the the alien. "Get the ring!" Impulse did as told, running to the alien and pulling the ring off her finger before handing it to Robin. As Robin turned he saw a regular Guy Gardner standing there. Without a second thought he handed the Warrior the ring.  
  
"Your better off with it than I am." Guy only smiled and put the ring on his finger.  
  
"I gotta help GL and the Kid." Guy flew into the air using the Green Lantern ring for the first time in years. And man did it feel good.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Xander was pissed. That was the only word Superboy could put with the flare in Xander's eyes as he and the blue alien contiued to fight high above New Yorks' Manhattan Island. The blows Xander was landing seemed to completely overshadow his opponents counters. The Teen of Steel could only watch as the two glowing green figures traded blows. That's when things went downhill.   
  
~~~~~  
  
Buffy watched the television with focus. It was times like this she wondered why she had been given the power of the slayer. With heroes like this she shouldn't be needed. Yet she was. She watched Giles carefully, his reactions seemed to emotional for just watching the battle. Buffy knew he was hiding something, and she could tell by the look on Willows face the red head knew it to. Giles leaned forward as things began to heat up between the Green Lantern and the blue skinned alien.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Bruita knew he couldn't win. This Green Lantern had to much ferocity to be beaten. But he knew the Lantern's weakness. With a smile he flew away from the fight and ignited his ring. He then pointed it toward a building and grinned. Xander was moving before he thought about it. Right into the path of a huge green blast.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Kyle Rayner slipped the green ring on his finger with a smile. Nightwing looked at him his suit in tatters and blood on his forehead. The rest of the Titans didn't look much better. Even Kid Flash was banged up.  
  
"I need to help the kid." Kyle said as he suited up "You got this handled?" Nightwing nodded and halfway smiled as Kyle flew into the air.  
  
"Take it down Green Lantern." Nightwing said as he watched Kyle fly toward New York.  
  
"It's almost over." Troia said as they began to check on the locals.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Kyle flew to a dead stop beside a green and glowing Guy Gardner and Superboy. He watched as two beams of green energy met and fought the other for dominance. He moved forward to help Xander only to be blocked by the arm of Superboy.  
  
"This ones his." Kyle looked at him in shock then at Guy who simply nodded.  
  
"The kid needs this one Kyle. He can do it." Kyle sighed and nodded then watched the battle reach its conclusion.   
  
~~~~~  
  
Xander poured every bit of concentration he had into the ring. His entire mind was set on the beam in front of him. He didn't know who or what was watching. He didn't know who he was. At that moment he only had one thing on his mind. The beam. He didn't rejoice when his beam began to overpower the others. He didn't notice the cheer's coming from Superboy or the millions of people watching the battle on there televisions. He almost didn't stop as his beam completely overtook his opponents and the alien with the power ring fell to the ground with a dull thump. He almost didn't stop. Lucky for the statue of liberty he did.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Xander floated to the ground finally hearing the cheers of his friends and what he thought to be fans. He slowly pulled the power ring from the aliens finger then handed it to Kyle as the other Green Lantern landed in front of him. The sweat that was drying on Xander's forehead conveyed the power he had put behind the ring. Kyle smiled. Xander nodded and turned back beginning to walk into the city. Kyle frowned.  
  
"What are you doing kid?" Kyle asked knowing that Xander should rest.  
  
"Gotta check for people." Xander's breath was labored but steady. To him he wasn't finished.  
  
"Guy and I can handle that kid. You and Superboy get out of here." Xander looked like he was going to argue but he sighed. He didn't have the energy.  
  
"Think it'd be alright if I slept in the cave tonight?" Xander asked as he and SB took to the air. Superboy laughed and nodded.  
  
"I think you earned the choice to sleep wherever you want pal. Lets check out the team and head for home." Xander nodded and sighed closing his eyes as they floated toward the Justice Cave. He really needed a break.  
  
~~~~~  
  
The girls watched as Giles breathed a sigh of relief as what seemed to be two Green Lanterns talked and the one who just fought flew away.   
  
"This is going to kill me." He mumbled to himself just low enough for Buffy to hear. But she didn't ask, not at the moment anyway. Giles stood and numbly shut off the TV.  
  
"I'm going to take a nap." The British man said as he walked to his office, leaving two very curious young women in his wake.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Xander and Superboy landed beside the members of Young Justice. Everyone looked worse for wear. Cassie looked at Xander quickly and then at Kon.  
  
"Is he okay?" Cassie asked the Teen of Steel while pointing at Xander. Kon looked at him for a second before nodding.  
  
"Yeah. He's alright. Everyone here okay?" Cassie nodded her head slowly.  
  
"We're all good." The two talked among themselves while Xander walked toward Robin who seemed to be looking for something.  
  
"Your staff is over there Rob." Robin looked up at Xander and smiled.  
  
"Thanks man." As Robin walked to retrieve his bo staff he kept talking.  
  
"You did a good job today Xander. Defiantly earned your space on the team." Robin turned around to see Xander leaning against a car asleep. He laughed and looked at Kon.  
  
"Carry him to the SuperCycle."  
  
~~~~~  
  
"What was with Giles today?" Willow asked as she, Buffy, and Oz walked down the street to one of the cemetery's of Sunnydale. Buffy looked in thought for a second before answering.  
  
"It was like he knew who that Green Lantern was. Hell it was like he knew Superboy." Willow nodded and Oz just walked with his stoic expression. Finally Willow began to speak again.  
  
"Do you think Giles could know them?" Buffy seemed in thought about it before nodding.  
  
"It's possible." Both girls looked at Oz who simply shrugged. They three continued there walk down the street.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Xander woke to a strange noise. One he immediately knew the cause of.  
  
"Oh Shit." He said in a low but clear voice before jumping and running toward the entrance of the cave. He wasn't fast enough.  
  
"Xander! Wait up man! HELP!" Xander stopped all the while muttering curses. Kon flew up to him.  
  
"It's horrible man! It's.." Xander cut him off.  
  
"I know man. Tell me this. One or more?" Kon gulped and quickly looked around.  
  
"Just one. But god it's bad.. Very bad." Xander looked around the cave quickly. He had to think of a plan.  
  
"Okay," Xander began keeping an eye out for the evil. "Here's what we do. You and me get the hell outta dodge." Kon looked at him for a second before speaking.  
  
"But.. Rob.. Imp." Xander held up his hand to cut Kon off.  
  
"I'd go into hell to save those boys. But, this time there on there own." Kon seemed torn until a loud scream filtered from deep in the cave.  
  
"Good plan." Both teens nodded as they heard Robin scream in pain.  
  
"KON!!! Get BATMAN!" Kon looked around and then at Xander.  
  
"Should we get the Bats?" Xander shook his head no  
  
"Not even Batman will come in here for another three to five days." Kon looked back slightly worried but nodded.  
  
"We'll come back and check on them in a week...." Xander nodded his head in the affirmative and the two took off for the exit.  
  
:KON GET BACK HERE!!!" Was the last scream they heard. And that came from the evil... Wonder Girl on PMS........ EVIL  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Kon and Xander sat at a table at Warriors while Guy was laughing about what happened at the Justice Cave.  
  
"You did the right thing. Trust me I was a member of the JLA with Ice. BRRRR." Xander held up his hands.   
  
"You have no idea what I went through. Picture this. My best friends in the world. One is a extremely smart redheaded young woman. and the other is a super powered extremely hot dirty blonde babe." Guy looked at him for a second.  
  
"If I hadn't noticed the way you looked at Jade I'd think you were gay." Xander looked at Guy with what could only be hatred.  
  
"I've never killed a person in my life. But your pushing it." Guy and Kon fell into a laughing fit as Xander scowled angrily.  
  
"Fraggin... Oh god... I've been around Li'lobo to long...."  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Deep in the crust of the moon the figure was alone. It's hulking mass threatening to break through it's restraints. The sinister look that never left it's face seemed distorted in anger at being captive once again. It would break free, soon. It's massive strength was beginning to weaken it's restraints. It would have it's revenge. It's thirst for destruction and death would be quenched. Doomsday would come....  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
"The boy is to young." The image of Ganthet said to Kyle Rayner as they watched Superboy and Xander laughing on a beach. Kyle looked at Xander while he spoke.  
  
"He's proven himself. Besides, the ring chose him."  
  
"The ring has made mistakes in the past. Retrieve the ring from the boy." Kyle looked at the image as if begging.  
  
"He deserves it! He helped stop the rogues, we wouldn't have won without him." The image of the little guardian didn't seem phased in the least as it linked it's hands in front of it's body.  
  
"Retrieve the ring. When he is older he may re-attain it." Kyle looked at the last guardian with a mixture of rage and acceptance.  
  
"Fine." With that word he made the future far more difficult than it had to be.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Xander and Kon walked into Warriors laughing and joking.  
  
"She was looking at me not you Supergeek."  
  
"Not a chance gain green. She wanted moi."  
  
"Moi? Who........" Xander's retort was never finished as he noticed three frowning and somewhat saddened faces staring at him. Xander looked at each in turn Guy, Jade, Kyle they all looked like there dog had just died.  
  
"What's wrong?" Xander asked as he and Kon both stopped smiling and stood with tense and expectant muscles. Kyle looked down for a second and took a deep breath.  
  
"I need the ring back." Xander looked at him and swallowed a lump in his throat.  
  
"What?" His voice sounded nothing like normal. No fun and games.. No life. Everyone there felt that something changed in that instant.  
  
"I have to take the ring. I'm sorry Xander, really I am." Xander nodded with a far away look in his eyes; then looked at the ring on his right hand. With a slow movement he pulled the ring over his knuckle and like handling the most precious thing on earth sit it on the table in front of him. Xander gave the four other occupants of the room a sad almost smile and turned to walk out of the room. But not before saying one last thing.  
  
"Maybe I'll see all of you again." As the door shut behind his figure Kon turned to the three adults with a scowl.  
  
"He deserved that ring just as much as any of you.", Kon turned to leave but then turned back to them.  
  
"I always thought of all of you as heroes. Guy as the badass who always wants a fight, Jade as the hot female of the good guys, and Kyle I've always thought of you as being an understanding hero. Nothing like most of the others out there, I was wrong. He saved all your asses not a week ago and now he's nothing to you. Some heroes." With a final snort Kon ran out the door to find Xander. Kyle looked at the ring on the table before speaking.  
  
"He's right. I should have told Gantlet no." Jade put her arm around the Green Lantern and smiled slightly.  
  
"Xander will be okay. He's a survivor." Guy looked toward the door his friend had just left through while speaking.  
  
"Sometimes survival isn't enough." After speaking Guy stood and walked away from the table.  
  
"What are you going to do?" Kyle asked as he watched his friend and ally walk toward the back room.  
  
"I've had to find more power than any other person on the planet. I think I have it in me to help the kid find some." Kyle sat in silence staring at the green ring on the table top in front of him.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Kon flew over New York quickly. It took him almost an hour but he finally found Xander walking over the bridge from Manhattan Island. Kon quickly flew down and landed beside the brunette ex-scooby.  
  
"Where we headin bro?" Kon asked as they walked toward New York City. Xander looked at him for a second as they walked.  
  
"I guess I'm going home. I don't know where your going." Kon looked at him for a second in shock.  
  
"I'm goin where ever you are GL. We're buds." Xander stopped and looked at the concrete under his feet for a second.  
  
"I'm not GL anymore Kid. I'm just Xander. The nobody once again." Kon put his hand on the back of Xander's shoulder and smiled.  
  
"I've been there man. Look what's say you and me go clubbin'?" Xander let all the air from his lungs as he looked at the sky.  
  
"Nah man. I'm thinkin' I'll just walk, and walk, and walk some more." Xander looked at the Teen of Steel before turning and walking away leaving Kon looking after his departing friend.  
  
"And I'll watch, and watch, and watch some more." Kon said as he took to the air. The YJ tracking device firmly planted in his friends belongings.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I can't believe I'm doing this, I can't believe I'm doing this, I cant'....." Superboy repeated the mantra over and over in his head as he walked into Young Justice HQ. He saw Robin at the computer and immediately walked toward him. Robin turned just as Superboy was in hearing distance.  
  
"What's up Kon?" The boy wonder asked as he noticed the worried look on Kon's face.  
  
"I need to talk to the Bat." Kon said in a quick voice that screamed nervous. Robs eyes went wide and he shook his head.  
  
"I don't think that's a good idea Kid." Superboy took a breath before speaking again.  
  
"That doesn't matter Rob. Set up a meeting. Please." Robins eyes again widened. 'Since when does Kon say please?', the Boy Wonder asked himself then nodded.  
  
"I'll see what I can do." Kon only nodded and turned to leave breathing out a sigh of relief.  
  
"Thanks. I gotta problem I hope he will help me with." Robin didn't ask but did look around the cave for someone.  
  
"Where's Xander?" Superboy sighed.  
  
"Kyle took his ring." Robin's eyes went wide for the third time in ten minutes. Before he could say anything Superboy interrupted.  
  
"How can I get a hold of Giles?" Robin turned to the computer and typed a few letters.  
  
"He's at work right now. Sunnydale California. The High School library." Kon nodded and turned to leave.  
  
"I'll talk with Batman as soon as possible." Robin said to the retreating figure. All he got in return was a wave.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Superboy landed in the quad of Sunnydale High an hour and a half later. He walked into the school ignoring the whispers from students and walked straight to the library.   
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Giles was telling Buffy and Willow that there were no new threats on the horizon when the doors opened and Superboy walked in.  
  
"Giles," The Teen of Steel started ,"We need to talk." Giles nodded and cleaned his glasses worriedly.  
  
"Is everything alright Kon?" The British man asked carefully. He didn't want to break Xander's trust.  
  
"Yes and no. Can we talk?" Giles nodded and motioned toward his office.  
  
"Of.. Of course. My office?" Kon nodded and moved past the older man into the office.  
  
"That's.. omygod.." Willow said to which Buffy only mutely nodded.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
"The GL's took Xander ring." Kon said the second the door shut. Giles sighed and sat down at his desk.  
  
"Wha... Why?" Kon only shrugged as he sat down.  
  
"I don't know!" Kon seemed angry to the librarian so he tried to defuse the situation.  
  
"Where is Xander now?" Kon sat back at the librarians question.  
  
"Around."  
  
~~~~~~  
  
One Week Later  
  
Xander walked down the streets of Suicide Slums. He had only been to Metropolis once in his life and that was when he was five. He had meet Superman when he visited his Uncle Perry who was the editor of the Daily Planet. Stopping in on his Unc. wasn't a bad idea the more he thought about it. Xander walked carelessly through the desolate streets. The crumbling buildings long since condemned but still lived in seemed to glare at his intrusion of there part of the world. Xander couldn't care. He was, for lack of a better term, bummed. But, even in his state of self pity the loud scream of anger and fear drew his immediate attention. Without a second thought he ran toward the alley on the opposite side of the street. He hoped the villains weren't vampires. He didn't have a stake on him. As he rounded the corner his eyes fell on the assault. A woman in her early to mid thirties was being attacked by three men. She was trying to fight back, uttering curses he had never heard, but she was losing. Xander calmly dropped his duffel and glared at the men.  
  
"I think you should let her go." The three men looked up and smiled evilly at Xander. He didn't flinch.  
  
"Oh you do huh?" One of the men asked as he and man number two moved away from the woman.  
  
"You gonna take her place man?" The second one asked. Xander smirked cockily and cracked his neck. Then began the brisk and stiff walk toward the two bigger men. He had aggression to work out.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Lois watched from the ground as the young man who could be no older than seventeen gave the leader a swift right cross followed by a spinning sidekick that knocked the bigger man on the ground. As the man fell the young savior spun on his heel and backhanded the second man with his left arm then swung a wide right hook that connected with the mans jaw knocking the man out cold before he hit the ground. Only one man left. Lois watched with dread and hidden fear as the third and last criminal pulled a knife and walked slowly and menacingly toward her young knight in shining armor. The young man was smiling.  
  
"Gotta have the knife to beat a kid huh?" Lois heard the young man say/ask. The tattoo covered criminal didn't answer only charged and lunged with the knife pointing toward the young mans chest. In the blink of an eye the knife was in the young mans hand and the criminal was head first into the alley wall. It was all over. The young man looked at his surroundings before walking over to Lois.  
  
"You okay?" Lois shook her head clear and nodded. The young man smiled and helped her up.  
  
"Come on. I'll get you a taxi and tell the cops where to pick these guys up." Lois only nodded still in slight shock. She let the young man lead her to the curb, hail her a taxi, and walk away from her without any questions being asked. It wasn't until much later that she realized the kid had a week old beard and his clothes were filthy. Runaway was the only thought in her head.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Xander walked into the Daily Planet early the next morning. He had sprung for a hotel the night before so he could shave and bathe. He was going to see his Uncle after all. Well his sorta uncle. Perry White and Rory Harris had been high school buddies when they first met. After that they were card game buddies. Perry had always been Uncle Perry to Xander. And according to Perry White always would be. Xander heard the man yelling as he stepped out of the elevator into the newsroom. The inner sanctum as Perry had called it before. He smiled as he watched his gray and silver headed uncle franticly wave his arms around making a point to one of his employees. Xander walked up behind the older man and put a finger to his lips to keep the young man he was talking to silent.   
  
"The Star's room is bigger." Xander said referring to the Metropolis Star the Daily Planets only competition. Perry spun ready to give a very loud speech to whoever said it only to smile when he saw Xander.  
  
"Kid? Is that you?" Xander smiled and nodded.  
  
"Hey Unc. How ya been?" Perry laughed and grabbed Xander in a bear hug. Xander looked around the room quickly.  
  
"Put me down Unc. People are gonna start to talk." Perry laughed and sat the young man on the floor. Perry turned as Lois Lane walked into the newsroom.  
  
"Lois! This is my nephew Xander." Lois looked up and did a double take.  
  
"We've met Perry." Perry looked between them to see Xander smile.  
  
"I helped her hail a cab yesterday. Nothin big." Lois was about to say something but the look in the young mans' eyes said he didn't like being in the spotlight. 'Just like Clark.' The reporter thought to herself before looking at Perry.  
  
"Can I borrow him for a little while. I need a street crawler for my next piece." Perry looked at his *nephew* with a questioning glance.  
  
"Up for it kid?" Xander laughed and nodded.  
  
"Just have my paycheck ready at the end of the week. This time I collect." Lois looked between the two men for a second.  
  
"This time?" She asked with a slightly curious tone. Xander laughed.  
  
"I helped him on a story when I was eight. It was on school incidents or something. He paid me with ice cream." Lois and Jimmy laughed as Perry White smiled and shrugged.  
  
"Xander here has what it takes to be a great reporter."  
  
"I don't know Perry. I think he's more of the hero type." Lois said as she smiled at the blushing teen. Xander looked at her wide eyed for a second and Lois elaborated.  
  
"I see him as a Detective or maybe SCU officer." Perry looked at Xander with a critical eye.  
  
"I hope not. Being a reporter is dangerous enough." They would have laughed had Perry's voice not been serious. Lois shrugged her shoulders before looking at Xander.  
  
"Ready for work kid?" Xander smiled a half smile and shrugged.  
  
"Can't be to hard can it?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander mumbled a string of curses for what had to be the millionth time that day. He should have known by the smile on Lois' face that this wasn't going to be fun. But no, he had to go along with it. So know he's standing on a street corner at close to midnight with a tape recorder in his pocket and makeup on. Plus he could hear Lois laughing through mic in his ear.  
  
"Why did I have to do this again?" Xander asked into the receiver on his halter top.   
  
"Transvestite hookers are growing in number around Metropolis. I want the story on the pimp. Maybe he will come to you tonight." Xander growled low in his throat.  
  
"Wish he would hurry up already." Three hours later Xander was asleep at his Uncle Perrys' guest room and Lois was smiling and laughing as she developed the photos of Xander in a leather mini-skirt and stilito heels.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander groaned as yet another Planet employee laughed and pointed at him.   
  
"Welcome to the family." Lois said while smiling at the young man from across her desk. Xander glared at her for a moment before closing his eyes and ignoring yet another laugh at his expense.  
  
"All this after I saved you life?" Xander asked as he shook his head in frustration. Lois smiled and shrugged.  
  
"Initiation is part of the job Sunnydale." Xander groaned. He hated that name, ever since Perry had told her where Xander moved from she had called him Sunnydale. He really thought about leaving. Okay not really but he had threatened a few times.  
  
"Great. Your rule?" Lois only shrugged and smirked cockily. Xander sighed and sat back.  
  
"Where's Clark?" Xander asked thinking about the other part of the award winning writing team. Lois looked saddened for a moment before answering.  
  
"Visiting his parents in Smallville." Xander nodded and looked at her curiously for a minute before looking toward Perrys' office.  
  
"The big man got a story for you yet?" He asked the brunette reporter who shook her head in the negitive.   
  
"That's to bad. Hey Jimmy!," Jimmy turned to look at Xander with a What? look., "Lets get some lunch." Jimmy shrugged and put his files down. He did however keep his camera.  
  
"Sure thing. I know this great little Mom & Pop a few blocks from here." Xander nodded as he stood.  
  
"Lets get outta here then. I'm getting sick of one sided conversation." Lois didn't look up from her file as Jimmy and Xander shared a laugh and walked toward the elevator.  
  
"I understand man. Trust me."  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander and Jimmy walked into the small cafe laughing.   
  
"Get away from the door and keep your hands where I can see em'!!" Jimmy and Xander stopped laughing immediatly and followed orders. Xander assessed the situation quickly. One armed robber and five hostages including Jimmy and himself. One a brunette young woman, another her son who seemed to be no older than seven or eight. And the cashier and elderly man who didn't seem to afraid.  
  
"Give me the money!" The criminal yelled at the elderly man who didn't move. With a fluid motion that only Xander could follow the man grabbed the young boy and held the pistol to his head.  
  
"I said give me the money." The old man again didn't move and the criminal pressed the barrel of the pistol into the young boys blonde hair.  
  
"Okay, okay. Everyone calm down.", Xander said as he took a step forward and held up his hands. ,"Get the guy his money." Xander stated to the cashier who nodded absently and began to fill the mans black bag with the money from the register.  
  
"Okay, now let the kid go.", Xander calmly stated to the masked assailant who didn't cooperate.  
  
"Take me instead and let the kid go." Xander took a step forward and the criminal moved the gun to cover him. Xander nodded to him and picked the now full bag of money off the counter. The little boy ran to his mother quickly. Xander smiled at them both reassuringly as he began to walk backwards with the money.  
  
"Okay. I'm going to back out the door. When we're outside and everyone in here is safe I'll hand you the money." The man simply nodded and walked forward as Xander opened the door and walked out of the cafe onto the busy sidewalks of Metropolis. As he moved backwards he dropped the bag of money in front of him and took two more steps back. As the masked man reached with his left hand for the money Xander stepped forward and grabbed the mans right wrist with both hands. With a twist the bones snapped and the gun clattered to the sidewalk with a clank. Xander ignored the mans screams of pain and twisted his body slamming the masked man face first into the building they had just left. As the man fell to the ground unconscious Xander turned to see Jimmy flashing photos.  
  
"That was awesome man." Xander simply groaned.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"It is a great thing in this day in age to see a normal young man helping right the wrongs in society. It just goes to show that there is a superhero in all of us just needing an opportunity to arise." Perry White read the last of the article written by Lois aloud to the newsroom making Xander squirm.  
  
"It wasn't a big deal." Perry looked at his nephew in shock.  
  
"Wasn't a big deal?!" Xander sighed and listened to his uncles rant. Lois smirking at him the entire time.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Giles looked at the paper Willow threw down on his desk.   
  
"Turn to page three." Willow said as Giles opened the mornings edition of the Daily Planet. He saw the picture of a frustrated Xander standing over a prone masked figure.  
  
"Oh my word. He is in Metropolis now?" Giles asked only himself ignoring Willow as he sat the paper down and looked in thought. Willow sighed before lifting the paper.  
  
"Fine you keep thinking, I'm going to show this to Buffy."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kon-El floated to the ground infront of the Daily Planet a smile on his face. With a wave to a group of girls goggling over him he entered the building.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As the young Teen of Steel walked into the newsroom of the Daily Planet everyone looked up. That is everyone but the person Kon was looking for.  
  
"Hey Bro!" Xander looked up at the voice and groaned.  
  
"Great, I thought throwing the transmitter on a plane to Scotland would get rid of you." Kon put a mock look of hurt on his face.  
  
"I'm shocked. I thought we were friends Xand." Xander sighed and stood embracing his friend in a quick hug.  
  
"We are man. I just don't want pity." Superboy sat down in a chair infront of Clarks' desk before speaking.  
  
"Man I've been where you are, it's not pity I look at you with man. It's understanding." Xander nodded. He knew that inside, it didn't help the way he felt though.  
  
"Thanks for visiting man. I really miss you guys. Especially Cassie." Xander smiled widely as Kon slitted his eyes.  
  
"Don't even." Was the only statement from the young clone as Xander chuckled and sat back in his chair.  
  
"What's going on?" Xander turned and looked at Lois as she sat at her desk.  
  
"Hey Lois." Kon said nonchalantly as he turned his eyes back to Xander.  
  
"So Xand. I know you said no to the club hopping but I have this friend I want you to meet." Xander sighed while Lois looked between the two in utter confusion.  
  
"Fine. But she better be hot." Kon laughed and shrugged cryptically. The two friends stood and left the building. Lois watched with an unbelievable expression on her face.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The cold air bit into Xander's exposed skin as he stood on the roof of one of Gothams skyscrapers.  
  
"Okay Kon, I might be dumb but even I know were not here to meet girls." Kon only shrugged knowingly not saying a word. As Kon was about to speak Xander spun looking into the shadows behind them.  
  
"Who or what is there?" Xander asked his voice taking an icy edge that didn't match his attire. Kon turned and looked into the shadows seeing nothing out of the ordinary. Until the shadows seemed to move toward them and The Bat stepped into the dim light.  
  
"How long have you been there?" Kon asked as Xander stood slightly muscles still tense.  
  
"I noticed him about five minutes ago. Figured I'd wait till whatever it was made a move.", Xander said eyeing the Bat carefully. ," I don't have much patience." The Bat smirked. The closest thing to a smile from him that anyone other than the BatFamily had ever seen.  
  
"I've been here for about seven minutes." The Bat said matter of factly. Xander only looked at the man with the cowl and cape.  
  
"You can go now Superboy." Batman said in his gravely voice. Kon looked at Xander who nodded then waved good-bye and flew into the air away from the duo.  
  
"So Kon told you about my fall from hero-dom." The Bat only nodded and moved forward grabbing Xander around the waist and shooting a jump line. A second later they were flying through the air toward the Batmobile.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander stood stiff as Nightwing walked around him looking at what he had to work with. Finally Nightwing spoke.  
  
"The only reason your even allowed here is because Robin thinks so highly of you." Xander was suprised but didn't show it. If the stories were true about the Batfamily he needed to be like a rock.  
  
"So..," Nightwing continued, "This is going to be a trial bases partnership. The Bat thinks I need someone watching my back in Bludhaven, I think he might be right." Xander simply nodded not sure of the offer Nightwing was going to give him. With a sigh Dick Greyson removed his mask.  
  
"And to me all full time partnerships must have trust." If Xander was shocked by the move he didn't show it. Simply nodded and held out his hand.  
  
"Alexander Harris, you can call me Xander." Nightwing shook his hand as spoke.  
  
"Dick Greyson. Though don't think that The Bat will just tell you his identity kid. He's a little paranoid." Xander chuckled slightly and half smiled. Dick motioned for him to follow and walked from the middle of the giant room toward the wall that the Bat Computer was against.  
  
"This message was left at the last robbery scene." Xander leaned forward as Robin read the message out loud.  
  
"The terrain where battle should be fought, for if on this terrain you will surely live and your opponent die." Xander chuckled slightly before speaking.  
  
"I don't think you're dealing with the Riddler." Batman turned and glared at Xander slightly.  
  
"Explain."  
  
"Where if you enemy fights with intensity he will survive but if not he will parish, It is called Fatal Terrain. On Fatal Terrain always engage in battle' Sun-Tzu's The Art of War." Batman almost smiled as he nodded.  
  
"Anything else?" The deep gravelly voice didn't seem to scare Xander this time, only made him think harder.  
  
"Yeah, I saw this club on the way to meet you with Kon, Fatal Terrain. It's a punk club on the outer edge of East Gothem." Nightwing and Robin looked at him with smiles. He would fit right in. Batman took it as a time to test the young man.  
  
"Plan of action?" Xander seemed in thought for a moment before he nodded to himself.  
  
"We're not sure who's behind the robberies, and busting in and beating everyone up wouldn't work right now. I could go to the club tomorrow night and snoop around a little." Batman turned to the computer screen and slightly nodded.  
  
"Tim will go with you." Xander looked in thought for a second then nodded to Robin, who nodded back.  
  
"Yes sir." Dick snickered slightly causing the Bat to glare at him. He turned from The Bat only to see Xander's glare.  
  
'Yep, he'll fit right in' Dick thought as he looked away from the young man, still smiling.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander looked in the mirror at his disguise. His hair had a dark purple streak down the middle and he had three earrings in his left ear. His clothes were shredded and covered with a black leather jacket that had seen better days. He was ready.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kyle sat at the bar of Warriors with a beer in front of him and a sad look on his face.  
  
"Why did you do it Kyle?" Guy asked as he stood across the bar from the Green Lantern.  
  
"It's not like you to do that, hell it was you who took up for young Justice when the league was against them." Kyle sighed before looking Guy in the eyes.  
  
"It has nothing to do with Xander's age. Hell the kid proved himself to me before he got the ring. This all falls on a promise I made to a friend." Guy nodded thinking about Hal Jordan before he spoke.  
  
"What you need to ask yourself is this... Would Hal want you to hurt someone to fulfill that promise?" Guy turned and walked down the bar to a customer letting Kyle think on the situation.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The music was loud. The lights were flashing. And the women were in tight leather skirts and ripped shirts. Xander and Tim were in heaven.  
  
"Spike!" Tim yelled at Xander who flinched involuntarily at the name. Damn the Bat for his freakin names.  
  
"What Breaks?" Xander said as he watched Tim flinch at his name. Xander smiled.  
  
"Lets move toward the far corner. I see a group of people gathered around something." Xander nodded and the two stood taller and walked toward the group of people circled around something. As the duo shoved there way to the front of the group they saw what everyone was yelling about. A fight, a fight with a lot of betting going on. Xander looked from the fight to survey the area and Tim did the same.  
  
"Top floor at nine o'clock." Tim said into the transceiver he and Xander were given. Xander looked casually and then looked back at the fight which was over rather quickly. A young blue haired man winning. Xander smiled slightly and shrugged out of his jacket handing it to Tim.  
  
"Got an idea." Tim only sighed in surrender.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander walked into the makeshift ring and looked up at the man in the suit watching. He waved slightly and then looked at his opponent. A man twice his size and at least five years his senior. Of course it wasn't until he felt the first punch that he also knew the opponent wasn't a human. It was after he kicked said opponent in the crotch that he saw the facial ridges. It was then that he knew he was going to have to be careful. Xander was glad the lights were to low to see the eyes and changes in the vamps face. As the vampire charged Xander grabbed its right arm and sidestepped pulling the vamps arm straight behind it causing it's shoulder to dislocate with a sick popping noise. The crowd was silent as Xander began to stalk toward the downed vampire not knowing how he was going to finish it. Luckily he didn't have to as he heard clapping behind him. He turned and saw the man on the balcony above him clapping and wave him up. Xander turned toward Tim and nodded. Both young man began the walk up the stairs as the vampire popped it's shoulder back in place and stumbled to the bar.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
"You have talent Mr...." The man in the business suit let the sentence linger...  
  
"Spike. They call me Spike." Xander hated that name. The man turned his eyes to Tim  
  
"And you are?" Tim snorted and smirked.  
  
"Breaks." Dick was going to die for choosing his name. Die. The man smiled and looked back at Xander/Spike.  
  
"Tell me kid. Where'd you learn to fight like that?" Xander shifted and moved forward leaning on the mans cherry wood desk.  
  
"Around." The man looked at Xander with a critical eye.  
  
"I could use someone like you. And if your friend here is as good, him to." Xander looked at Tim/Breaks then back to the man.  
  
"Breaks can handle himself. Question is what could ya use us for.", Xander looked at Tim before continuing, "Right bro?" Tim nodded before leaning on the desk beside Xander.  
  
"Right. We wanna know what we gettin involved with before we go with the flow." Tim stopped talking and Xander started.  
  
"Why not start with a name?" The man smirked as he looked at the boys.  
  
"Call me Mr. Fear, everyone does." Xander and Tim looked at each other.  
  
"Well Mr. Fear. Me and Breaky boy here have ta get goin. We'll be back tomorrow night, if we're interested." Tim turned and walked out of the room as Xander did the same. Fear sat back in his chair and smiled.  
  
"Such nice boys."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander stood opposite of Nightwing in the Batcave with a frown on his face.  
  
"A name?" Xander asked to which Nightwing only nodded. Xander thought back to when he was researching with Giles. He remembered a legend that seemed to fit with the BatClan.  
  
"The Crow?" Xander asked carefully to which Nightwing looked thoughtful. Batman melted out of the shadows and nodded his head before speaking.  
  
"Good choice." Nightwing turned and looked back at Bruce. There was still bad blood between the two but in the suits they could put it behind them.  
  
"Why's that?" Nightwing asked with genuine curiosity. Batman grunted and nodded to Xander.  
  
"It's an old legend. The Crow is what carries a soul into the other world, it's said that when a soul yearns for vengeance so much that it can't rest in peace the Crow will bring the soul back to get justice or revenge." Xander said almost as if he believed the legend. But then with all he had seen it could be true.  
  
"How did you know that?" Nightwing asked in sincere curiosity. Xander smiled and looked at Batman.  
  
"Why not ask The Batman for my file. I'm sure he has one by now." Batman didn't say anything but that was the only answer needed. Besides Xander had already started a file on each of the superheroes he knew. In his head only of course.  
  
"I need to make a call?" Xander asked as a question to Bruce who nodded and motioned for Tim to show Xander up the stairs.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Xander smiled as Giles picked up the phone on the third ring.  
  
"Hey G-Man!!" Xander said with enthusiasm.  
  
"Xander... Thank god I've been trying to reach you for days." The urgency in Giles' voice caused the smile on Xander's face to fall.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"It's about Angel."  
  
"What about Deadboy?" Xander was beginning to get worried.  
  
"He, he has lost his soul." Xander cursed loudly and talked into the receiver.  
  
"I'm on my way." Before Giles could say anything Xander had put the phone back to it's cradle and ran from the room toward the BatCave. As he jumped down the flights of stairs the Bat clan looked at him. Xander landed directly in front of the Bat and thought of the words to say.  
  
"I have to leave." Batman merly tilted his head slightly. Xander continued.  
  
"My friends are in trouble. More than they can handle alone." Xander stood waiting for Batman's answer......  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
End of JOURNEY OF A HERO: First Step. 


End file.
